318 FRANK FORESTER S FIELD SPORTS. 



puzzle for his scent, which habit is often the result of a defi- 

 ciency in his olfactory power. 



In my opinion, the Setter is infinitely preferable to the 

 Pointer everywhere, unless in dry, barren plains, where water 

 is not to be had; as in such places the Pointer can hunt well on 

 an allowance of fluid, on which a Setter could not exist. The 

 Pointer is more docile, it is true, and has, perhaps, a finer nose, 

 thougli I think his extreme caution, rather than superior scent- 

 ing qualities, has led to the idea of his superiority in this res- 

 pect. These qualities are, however, counterbalanced by so 

 many other points of superionty on the part of the Setter, that 

 I must decidedly give him the palm over his rival, aTid espe- 

 cially for this country, in which I am perfectly satisfied that one 

 brace of Setters will do as much work, and that work more sa- 

 tisfactorily, than two brace of Pointers, hunted steadily through 

 the season, week in and week out. Individual Pointers may 

 be, and have been, of rare excellence, but as a race they cannot 

 compete with the Setter. For a mere tyro, who does not know 

 how to control his dogs, or for one who lives in a city, and takes 

 his dog out five or six times in a year only, a Pointer is un- 

 doubtedly preferable — for, without work, a Setter is apt to be 

 headstrong and wild — but for the every-day shot, the all-day- 

 long shot, the rougij.-and-tumble, eager, scientific, keen sports 

 man, rely upon it the Setter is the dog. 



Of the Setter, there are three principal varie'ies. 



The English Setter, which is the animal commonly in use 

 in this country, too well known to need peculiar description, of 

 which the points described above are the piincipal characteris- 

 tics. He is found of all colors — black, black and wl.ite, black 

 and tan, pure white, liver, liver and white, orange or red, and 

 yellow and white spotted ; and of all these colors he is found 

 good ; indeed, as of the horse, it may be said, that a good dog 

 cannot be of a bad color. Nevertheless, I am apt to think that 

 liver color is apt to indicate a predominance of Pointer, or Water 

 Spaniel blood, though take him altogether, the best dog I ever 

 owned was liver and white, and so curly about the liead that I 



